Marigold in Philly

Marigold smiled as she thought of the extenuating circumstances that planted her boot clad feet in the Philly. Even though it was blistering cold and her uncover nose felt as though it would fall off her face, the warmth she felt in her heart could truly not compare. After all these years, she finally possessed the ability to reunite with her long long lost love. She specifically recalled the bittersweet moment she reluctantly walked away from his pleading eyes fully knowing that she would never return and if she did there was an almost ninety-nine percent chance their situation would not go back to how it was in the past. They could never stay under the same roof or share any type of leaving quarters together for that was an impossibility; it would always be, always.

Marigold sighed excited with her whole soul at an opportunity that literally dropped into her lap one stormy night as she lay warmly in bed thinking of absolutely nothing special. Never ever in her mind did she believe that she, Marigold, would see him again and let alone touch him. The thought made her tingle with pure unabashed pleasure. Marigold would actually lay her own golden eyes upon him.

Now, her sister, Nicole, had warned her to stay home. She scolded Marigold’s rash decision to hop on a plane in the mist of an oncoming blizzard; her ever so protective sister reminding her over and over again that the trip was not worth it, for he had probably changed for the worst. Well, that was her assertion.

She literally roared in her ear, “It’s been years. He is older and probably completely different! Most definitely not the same. You are wasting your time and money! I can’t support this! I bet he won’t even remember you!” Nicole continued to berate her for over two weeks believing that her baby sister, Marigold, would succumb to her futile warnings of disaster and utterly cruel pessimism.

Marigold listened to the harsh warnings but was simply unaffected. Besides, she had a mind of her own and she knew what she wanted. Well, at least this time she did and there was absolutely no way she would miss out on this unforeseen chance. For it literally landed in her lap. She felt like she had won the lottery. Over the years, he had creeped across the corridors of her mind; she chuckled remembering the vast amounts of cameo appearances he made in her dreams literally popping up out of nowhere as beautiful and innocent as the first she day she’d met him.

After a lengthy car ride from the airport, Marigold finally arrived to her destination, the edifice towered above her as to say, "Enter at your on peril." Honestly, she would never get use to the number of skyscrapers populating most windy cities. She carefully made her way down the iced covered concrete stairs holding on steadily to the rails. At the buildings entrance, she was greeted by a beautiful tall gentleman with twinkling golden brown eyes. He smiled revealing even white teeth. His lithe frame covered in a light yellow long tunic; Gram was a sight for sore eyes.

Walking towards her Gram spoke in a slightly accented tone; the sound of his husky voice piercing her being. “I knew you would come. I knew you could not resist. It has been entirely too long. My God, you are still as gorgeous as I remember like flower that never stops blooming. Marigold, it is an absolute pleasure to have you here,” he purred opening the heavy glass doors to allow her to enter first.

And there he was. At first he did not notice her, but quickly he sensed her. His body twitched causing the hair on the back of her neck rise. His head slowly turned in her direction and their eyes locked immediately, trancelike. He closed his eyes taking a moment which seemed like years to assess her presence. Then as if the time they had spent apart never existed, he jumped into her outstretched arms rubbing his face against hers almost knocking her to the floor.

Marigold smiled and then burst into sweet laughter. Though much bigger and much more intimidating, Golden Eyes, a tiger she had rescued as a cub, was still the same. He licked her face, purred and pawed softly on her clothes letting her know that he had not forgotten her or the love she had bestowed upon him in his time of need.

“Golden Eyes, I just knew you would never forget me! My my my how I have missed you, my love.”

The End